The impact of the French Revolution on the development of nationalist thought in the Ottoman Empire: The example of Ottoman intellectuals

This thesis examines the impact of the 1789 French Revolution on the development of nationalist thought in the Ottoman Empire. The revolution introduced the principles of liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty, which posed a direct challenge to the Ottoman Empire's multi-ethnic and multi-religious structure. These ideas significantly influenced both the intellectual landscape of Ottoman thinkers and the administrative strategies of the state. The study contextualizes the ideological effects of the French Revolution within Europe and the Ottoman realm. It analyzes the philosophical contributions of Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Diderot, and Condorcet, and explores their reception among Ottoman intellectuals. The concept of nationalism is discussed from a theoretical perspective, including its types and historical evolution, with particular attention to how it manifested in the Ottoman context. The thesis further evaluates the Ottoman response to the revolution, focusing on reform efforts, the Young Turks, the Committee of Union and Progress, influential leaders, publications, and organizations. It assesses how revolutionary ideas shaped nationalist movements, especially during and after the Second Constitutional Era. Conducted through qualitative research and historical analysis, the study uses primary and secondary sources, employing document analysis and comparative methods. It concludes that the French Revolution ideologically contributed to the Ottoman modernization process and that nationalism, while accelerating the Empire's disintegration, also laid the groundwork for the emergence of a new national identity.